Princess Mia
by emeraldislegirl
Summary: AU: This is a fluff piece inspired by the Royal Wedding. What happens when Rick's six-year-old daughter tells her father about her relationship goals? (Characters from The Do Over). I don't own these characters they just fuel my imagination.
1. Chapter 1

**Princess Mia**

A/N: This is a one-shot Richonne fluff piece largely inspired by the events of today; if you have been living under a rock, well, this story was inspired by the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle. I got the idea yesterday and started writing it on my way home. I just finished and hope you'll enjoy it.

Richonnelover1941 as you can see, I haven't forgotten about you. I intend to revisit the Grimes 2.0 which began in _The Do Over_ very soon.

As always, I don't own these characters but I love them very much because they fuel my imagination.

 _Please leave a note in the review box below_!

* * *

Michonne had just turned off the television and stretched. She was exhausted.

Her daughter Mia, however, had just bolted from her parent's king size bed, out of the bedroom on her way to the front door. Michonne shook her head. Her daughter's internal radar was going off again.

"Daddy! Daddy! " Mia exclaimed running and jumping into her father's outstretched arms shortly after he opened the front door.

"Hey, Princess. Did you miss me?" Rick playfully asked his daughter as he bent to scoop her up and showered her with kisses. He tickled her sides causing a fit of giggles as Mia's small honey curled head bobbed up and down showing off her toothless smile. The one her daddy promised only made her even more adorable.

The question was a rhetorical one because there were only two people who received that kind of reception from his daughter, himself and her older brother, Carl. From the day they brought her home, she had the uncanny ability to know whether he had left the house or was about to arrive. Her ability to predict her brother's comings and goings, however, happened later when he moved away for school. She was only two then and she was inconsolable for days, even though her father was present. Carl had spoilt her rotten the first two years of her life and then went off to college. Her spoiling, however, continued with her father who didn't seem to know the word 'no'. Truth be told, Rick often let his wife be the bad guy since she seemed impervious to Mia's sad blue eyes and heart-shaped pout.

Shortly after, Michonne finally appeared in the great hall to greet her husband who was now preoccupied with their daughter. The one who for all intents and purposes had long forgotten all about her. She wasn't jealous at all, there was this incredible bond between Mia and her dad. One her husband went out of his way to maintain given his knowledge of how her and her father's bond was severed. Her personal relationship with her daughter was special too, they did lots of girly things together but she knew she could never compete with the bond she held for her father and her big brother. Michonne's bond with her boys Carl and the twins, Andre and Alex, however, was equally as solid as that of the father-daughter duo.

Rick though excited to see his beautiful energetic daughter, he made sure he took the time to kiss his very beautiful and tired wife a proper hello.

"Hey!"

"Hey, yourself. Do you mind talking her down so she can actually get to sleep? I don't have the energy. I'm going to turn in", she offered.

"Nite, mommy!" Mia beamed, thrilled that her daddy was finally home.

Michonne was tired but even more so since her daughter insisted on watching the entire Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan from start to finish for a second time that day. She had already put the twins to bed about two hours before because they had no interest in watching the wedding, just as well too, because Mia had no time for them either. It was something her mom and her watched and cried at when the couple finally kissed on the steps of St. George's Chapel.

Michonne cried because it was beautiful and romantic. It reminded her of their first kiss as man and wife after having overcome many obstacles and cementing their future together. She remembers the night his divorce was final and they were finally together… nine months later Mia was born and a year later she became Mrs. Richard Grimes. Their little Mia had been there from the word go… a part of their newfound reality which propelled into turbo charge what had been intended to have been a much slower courtship.

Mia, on the other hand, she had visions in her small head of herself and her Prince not yet known being driven around in a horse-drawn carriage. She had already done that in the big park when they visited her grandparents in the big city. She loved horses because they were beautiful creatures. She loved the carriage ride so much so, that both her grandpa and her dad had to each take her on an extra ride. In total, she got three rides that trip. It was her best trip to the city ever. Meghan, however, only got one.

It was now we'll pass Mia's bedtime but Michonne couldn't resist the indulgence of watching the wedding a second time. After all, how often does one get to witness history in the making? The union of Harry and Meghan, a person with whom Mia seemed fascinated because like her, Meghan had the same colour skin but she had the blue eyes like her daddy. Plus, she was already a Princess. Her grandparents and father all dubbed her Princess and Meghan, of course, married a Prince. Yes, she had some questions for her daddy, like when would she marry her Prince and ride in the carriage again?

Little did her mother know, Mia had been biding her time with her till her daddy got home because she knew exactly what she wanted for her birthday.

"Okay, babe… go on to bed. I'll tuck her in. Come on Princess, give mommy a kiss."

Michonne leaned in, to both hug and kiss her daughter. "Nite, sweetie."

"Nite, mommy." She squealed with delight.

"I'll see you in a bit… love you." He added stealing another peck and gently slapping her on the butt as she walks away looking back at him with a small smirk despite her fatigue.

Rick found himself weak to his wife's charms especially now that they were finally on the same page again. It had been a long day and from what it appears it'll be an even longer night since his little Princess showed no signs of fatigue, instead, Mia seemed rather energized.

* * *

After reading three stories about Princes and Princesses, Mia asked her father whether she was truly a Princess. Her poor unassuming father confirmed she was in fact, her daddy's Princess which made her tiny heart swell with pride.

Finally, the day was catching up with her as she yawned and eventually gave up her resistance and fell asleep under her father's watchful eye but not before eliciting a promise that he'd watch the wedding with her tomorrow.

After showering and pulling on a pair of boxers and a tee shirt, Rick crawled into bed next to his sleeping wife. He ended up settling himself to become the big spoon, gently wrapping his arm around her delicate midriff. It was still early but he was able to notice and appreciate the subtle changes to her amazing body. He relished in the feeling of finally being home… months before they weren't this close.

Laying next to her, he inhaled her and the scents of the essential oils which perfumed her bath. He was intoxicated by the smell but her rest outweighed his needs so he allowed himself to let go of his thoughts and drift off to sleep.

* * *

He woke early the next morning to prepare a surprise breakfast of funny-faced pancakes for the kids.

After breakfast, the children were left in the custody of their nanny while he made a special order of eggs benedict, orange juice and coffee which he served to his beautiful wife in bed. This time alone together gave them a few minutes of reprieve before having to tackle their day with three very active kids under the age of seven.

"Breakfast in bed?" She asked with a raised brow. "What has Mia gotten you into now?"

He blushed, she was almost always right, ordinarily, this was his modus operandi. He always tried to smooth things over with his wife after he'd gotten himself into a fix, which incidentally enough almost always stemmed from some sort of request from his daughter. At present, however, as far as he knew his hands were clean. He hadn't dug himself into any holes in the last twelve hours. He just wanted to appreciate the woman before him and let her know that he' was grateful to have her at his side.

"Can't I do something nice for my wife? I just wanted to surprise you, that's all. I knew you were exhausted and I want you to take it easy." He answered sitting the tray down on her lap and kissing her forehead.

"Thank you, babe. It looks delicious… and I'm starved."

* * *

Later that evening, Rick was saved as he negotiated to only watch the video from the time the Royal family arrived at the church. Shortly after the ceremony, Mia began her own negotiations.

"Daddy, I know what I want for my birthday." She beamed with a twinkle in her blue eyes. Her eyes danced in her head from her excitement and her dimpled cheeks revealed a bright smile much like her mothers except hers were missing a few teeth. He loved when his daughter looked at him as though he hung the moon. This was the feeling he often wondered what it had felt like when they were kids and Michonne's face lit up on the rare occasion when her father was around. It was a good feeling it made him so proud that his daughter looked to him to solve things. He loved being a doting dad. He was right too… he loved his three boys too but they didn't seem to need him the way his little girl did. His dreams had given him a clue but when the doctor confirmed they were in fact, having a girl, he was overjoyed.

"Oh yeah? What would you like daddy to get you? Another doll or a bigger dollhouse... maybe both?"

"Na… ah. Silly daddy, I want a Princess tiara just like Meghan's because I'm gonna marry a Prince."

His daughter's response caused him to spill the cup of mint tea which was about halfway to his lips. _Shit!_ He said out loud as he sat the cup down on the nearest coaster and brushed absentmindedly at the wet spots on his plaid shirt and jeans. His heart was racing, like the fuck just happened. _Where did that come from? Did he hear his daughter right?_

"Daddy, mind your language. Mommy doesn't like it when the boys say things like that."

His wife snickered as she relaxed on the sofa across from them in the entertainment room. Their repartee had caught her attention now so she set aside the book she was reading. She just couldn't wait to see how her husband would get out of his current mess. She knew her daughter was building up to something but what she didn't quite know. However, when her husband confessed he would be watching the wedding with Mia while her brothers were at the Rhee's for a sleepover, she knew her daughter was going to pounce on the opportunity to get whatever it was she wanted.

The Kirkman's were away on a family vacation so Logan her best friend wasn't around. Hence, the reason why she was home alone with her parents.

Michonne could clearly recall Ma's words telling her son, that he spoilt Mia. She also told him that need to say no to the child but whenever he tried, Mia's sad blue eyes and pout would break him.

The current scenario was shaping up to be a very interesting life lesson for both father and daughter. One, she had no interest in fixing but did elect to stick around for the entertainment and secretly, started recording function on her phone.

"Sweetie, you're going to be seven years old. Where's this talk about marriage coming from?"

"I want to wear a tiara like Meghan, daddy. You said, mommies and daddies get married and make babies. I wanna marry a Prince because he won't leave like you do and he doesn't carry a gun. You leave mommy all the time. If I marry a Prince we can live in a castle and we'll have horses."

"Yes, I did say that but mommies and daddies aren't six-years-old. Plus, mommy goes to work just like I do."

"But mommy always comes home. Can I have a tiara for my birthday, daddy? I promise I'll take care of it until I'm all grown up and I marry my Prince."

Michonne couldn't help snickering which cause her husband to roll his eyes at her. "Tell you what sweetie, do you remember when daddy promised you he would help you to find your dolls when your brothers hid them and I did? Well, daddy promises to find the perfect Prince for his Princess, okay? But you have to be all grown up and finish school first. If you do that, daddy will take you to New York City and we'll find the tiara of your dreams… then we'll find you a Prince and go for a ride in the horse-drawn carriage."

Mia didn't see herself winning anything from the current discussions. Her head tilted to the side and her tiny arms folded before her as the tears welled up in her beautiful eyes and her beautiful heart-shaped lips turned down. The hurt and disappointment in her eyes were very real when she got up from the sofa and told her father. "Fine… then I don't wanna be seven," and ran from the room.

Rick was crushed, his daughter had never looked at him that way before. He had to fix this mess. He got up to follow her but was stopped by his wife.

"Don't, let me…" What Michonne thought was going to be a rather entertaining spectacle between them had ended with both parties hurt. She knew Rick was thrown by Mia's sudden discussion about boys and not just a crush but like relationship goals. He treasured his daughter but refused to acknowledge she was no longer a baby; truth be told, Mia was hardly ever a baby. She grew up fast and was always very mature for her age. Her husband was having a hard time accepting Mia's increasing independence. He was afraid of losing his baby girl.

* * *

Michonne and Mia returned home with goodies. No one could stay mad over ice-cream. They had gotten several different flavours and picked up some bananas, caramel, chocolate and butterscotch sauce, whip cream and Maraschino cherries.

She sent her daughter off to wash up while she went looking for her husband, who she found in his study nursing a Scotch and wallowing in self-pity. She walked over to him and gently massaged his shoulders.

"Hey, if you're interested… I have it on very good authority that all will be forgiven if you make your awesome banana splits. Are you willing to fix this mess?"

He looked up at her… one eyebrow raised. "Really?"

"Yeah, ice cream fixes everything at this age… not so much in another seven years."

"Do you think a pony could buy me some more time?" He asked reaching back and pulling his wife in for a very grateful kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Siblings**_

 _ **A/N** My sincere thank you to those of you who took the time review, fav and follow this story, I truly appreciate it. In the last chapter, Mia and her mom spent the day watching and rewatching the Royal Wedding. She then spent time with her dad and asked him for a specific gift while outlining her future to him. Rick was not prepared for the news and it left father and daughter in a spot. Michonne pitches in to broker a deal between father and daughter but would it be enough? T_ _his story felt unfinished and as such, I decided to explore what Mia would do next._

* * *

 ** _The day after..._**

"Carl, when are you coming home?"

"Hey, Mimi!" Carl smiled at his sister on the screen of his laptop. It didn't fail whether she was happy or sad that was always her greeting to him. He missed her a great deal but that's the way things were, at least for the next two years. He thought about taking summer classes to finish his studies sooner but his brain really needed the break. Plus, he was missing his family, his five siblings were growing up so fast without him, it made him sad to think he was practically a man before he had siblings. He was the offspring of two parents who didn't love one another but stayed together for his sake, a noble gesture on their part, but they were miserable in the end.

He sometimes envied his little brothers Andre, Alex and Nicholas for having sisters close in age to grow up together. In the present case, however, the twins were more of a torment to poor Mia. Unfortunately, his brothers were too young to appreciate having a big sister. Nicholas was a little younger so, Logan had it easier. Then, it was also a matter of perspective too, his childhood was better in one aspect because where his mother failed in her nurturing duties, he had his father all to himself. This was largely in part, however, that not much ever happened in King's County; whereas, his father's new job with the FBI took him away frequently.

It was nice to see his father truly happy, he was reunited with the love of his life and a new family, one, Carl was happy to be a part of. The trade-off in this, however, meant his siblings saw less of their dad but he made them a priority whenever his duty didn't take him away. The difference between this marriage and the former one was like night and day, his mother constantly harped on his father for everything, while, Michonne, his mom encouraged his dad to follow his dreams. She never complained even though Carl knew it had to be tough on her, especially being at home with three small kids and a pretty taxing career, but somehow, she made it all work.

"I'll be home soon, Mimi! How's Mom doing?"

"Home where, Carl?"

That was always his sister's second question and until she was satisfied with his answers the conversation would not deviate from its course. Mia was going to be an excellent attorney someday. She was six going on thirty, very sure of herself and what she wanted and she took no prisoners.

"I'll stay with you for a little while then I'll stay at my place to be closer to Enid."

"Can I stay there with you?"

There it was... the red flag, Carl knew things weren't okay at home. His sister only opts to leave their father's side for an extended period whenever he put his foot down. It was a rare occurrence indeed because his father always manages to cave in the end. He and his mom always had a good laugh at his father's expense. He knew whatever happened had to be huge and obviously, their father was sticking to his guns, which meant his sister's poor little heart was broken. It was now his responsibility to manage his baby sister's expectations before he found himself facing her wrath.

"You can't live with me Mimi because I still have to finish school, but you and Logan can have a sleepover without the boys. After, I'll have one with the boys. How does that sound?

"Oh goodie, I miss Logan she's gone away again." The proposal brought a smile to his sister's otherwise business face.

"Did you know that daddy tells mommy I shouldn't spend so much time at Logan's? He said Miss Lori gives bad vice? What does that mean, Carl?"

Carl shook his head remembering how his mother tried to mess with his parent's marriage from the get-go. She always had some type of shade ever since she learned he started calling Michonne, mom. He wondered just what she's done now.

"Is everything okay at home, Mimi?"

"No! Daddy won't give me a sister, but Logan's like a sister and she likes the same things I do, too. She doesn't break my stuff or hide them as the boys do. I know how to it fix it too, if we give Andre and Alex to Miss Lori and Mr. Negan, then Nicholas won't be alone, and Logan can live here with me."

Carl did not want to touch this sore topic between his sister and his father. "Mimi, that's not how things work sweetie, but I will talk to Andre and Alex again, I promise, okay?"

"Carl, it doesn't work." Her frustration was evident as she exhaled.

"Mimi, mom and dad will be sad without Andre and Alex. Plus, Miss Lori, Mr. Negan and Nicholas will be sad to lose Logan too.

"Carl, you're not listening, when daddy tells you to ask Mommy for something, it means, no. I can't have a sister because daddy tells me to ask mommy for a sister. I can only have one if daddy asks mommy. She would never say no to daddy. I'm going to have a sister, Carl but I need your help."

"Okay, but what can I do Mimi?"

"You can talk to daddy… tell him to let Logan stay with me and he should get me a tiara too."

Carl shook his head, his sister was brilliant, she wanted him to plead her case to obtain something her dad could easily buy to appease his guilt for not delivering on a promise. She was truly her father's daughter going around the problem to achieve her ends.

"Mimi, what's really going on?

"Daddy won't get me a tiara for my birthday, and he says I have to finish school before I can marry my Prince."

Carl giggled, trying to imagine the conversation leading up to their fallout, all the while knowing full well their father probably almost had a stroke when Mia dropped that little bomb. He wished he could have been a fly on the wall but made a mental note to ask his mom for details.

Mia tilted her head and fold her arms, "It's not funny, Carl." It was uncanny how whenever she was upset she could imitate their dad visually and in aural clarity. Her forehead wrinkled to show her discontent as she stated her case, her eyes were cold, "Daddy's not fair, he says I'm too young, but you hold hands with Enid and sometimes you kiss her like daddy does to mommy. Daddy even slaps her on the bum too."

Carl felt the heat rising as it crept up his neck, he could only imagine what was going through his sister's head as he sat there blushing. He knew his folks could at times be embarrassing with their PDA, he just never thought he had become them. He thought he had been very discreet around his siblings. Obviously, he was failing miserably if his six-year-old sister had noticed that much, their father, on the other hand, was a lost cause, he was too old to change. He would have to mention the situation to his mom and he seriously hoped that she would be the one to have the talk about the birds and the bees with Mia; he remembered his dad's woeful attempts on the subject. The fact is, his dad was a lousy role model for such issues.

"Mia, you know that you are only going to be seven, right? I wasn't allowed to do those things at six either. What did mom say about the tiara?"

"Mommy says boys don't understand about Prince and Princess stuff. You have to be one to get it."

Carl tried hard to contain his laughter, it all made sense now, his mom and sister had no doubt watched the Royal Wedding, which obviously had a huge impact on _Princess Mia_. It would also seem that his mom was enjoying the temporary rift between father and daughter.

"How's mom doing, Mia? Can I talk to her?"

Mia was a talker, she was also a wealth of information, she saw things even most adults missed, but her innocence and her ability to talk usually gets herself and others in hot water. For instance, there was the time when she told his mother, he called Michonne, mom. It wasn't a secret, all their immediate family and friends knew this, but Lori caused a shit storm of grief for his mom, and nothing his father did could change her wrath. It got to a point where both of his sisters could only have play dates whenever he was present, as a result, the girls who were born only months apart and became inseparable because of him were now miserable in his extended absence.

That incident reminded him of the time, when he himself mentioned his mom was expecting, only then, his mother's target was his father.

"Mommy's always tired and she cries a lot but she's okay again because daddy's home."

Carl tucked the little nugget his sister shared about their mom away for later. He was sure his parents would tell him if his suspicions were in fact right. He didn't have time to ponder much because there was screaming in the background, the tranquillity had been broken, Mia looked over her shoulder to acknowledge the source of the disturbance. It was none other than her twin brothers, Andre and Alex, running down the hall and into the family room.

"We wanna talk to Carl!" They screamed in unison, "Our turn Mia, mom said we could."

"Nah ah, it's my Carl time. Go away!" She said brushing their hands away as though they were gnats.

"Mia, sweetie, let your brothers have a turn they won't be long," Michonne said as she caught up with the three siblings who were now vying for a moment with their big brother. Time with Carl was a commodity that was used frequently in the Grimes household to quell riots, it was used as a pick me up or as a prize for achievements. The younger Grimes loved their big brother so, they'd take every spare second he had to offer them. It was also a good balm for him too who moved out of state to study for the love of a girl.

Reluctantly, Mia ceded her mom's laptop to her annoying little brothers who were jockeying for the best spot on the sofa. She went directly to her mom's comforting arms when her dad walked into the room. Her actions hurt her father who thought his famous banana splits had resolved their rift, his wife assured him it would but things weren't right with his Princess. He scratched his head and left the room not wanting to upset her further, it was clear she needed her mom so he respected their time together.

As Michonne promised, both Andre and Alex's screen time took no more than ten minutes, to arrange a sleepover and exacting a promise to watch _Black Panther_ only in the presence of their older brother as per their mother's strict instructions. Shortly thereafter, they were running through the house again looking for their father who promised pool time before supper. Mia finished making plans with her big brother for their sleepover and went off to find her grandparents whose voices were calling for her.

Meanwhile, in the family room, Michonne was having a heart to heart with her son. "Mom, is everything okay at home... is there anything you wanna tell me?"

Michonne didn't understand what he was getting at. "You mean about Mia and dad? It's pretty funny actually, she lulled him into a false sense of security and asked him to buy her a tiara like the one the Duchess wore to her wedding because she decided she's going to marry a Prince. I have it all on a video, we can watch it together when you get home."

"Oh yeah? Cool… Mom, are you okay? If something was going on you'd tell me, right? I mean you wouldn't wait till I come home… right?"

"Sweetie we're okay… correction, with the exception of the issue between Mia and dad, we're okay. I promise."

"Mom, Mia says that you're tired all the time and you're always crying. That only happened when you were expecting the boys and dad…"

It all made sense now, they were outed yet again by Mia. Although she meant no harm, Carl knew. Both siblings had this infinite link, they were both very perceptive of others and their feelings. Mia had no idea what she stumbled onto but her older brother was able to decipher it from his sister's keen observations.

"We were waiting till you got home to tell you. You're going to be a big brother again. Just keep it under wraps for now, if you know what I mean…"

"Wow! Congratulations, mom. Can I have a minute with you and dad?"

* * *

"A short time later, Rick appeared on screen dressed for the pool. He had left the kids with their grandparents in order to take the call.

"Dad, mom told me and I'm truly happy for both of you but y'all are going to have to be a little more discreet about what you say and do in front of Mia. It's gross to hear about your parents PDA from your six-year-old sister."

"What are you talking about son?" Rick asked as his arm closed around his wife in exaggeration knowing the effect it would have on his son.

"Dad, do you forget I was a kid when you and mom got together and how you embarrassed me? Well, Mia is comparing me and Enid to y'all. It's just gross. I'm going to be more careful and so should you. She asked to come to stay with me… if you scale the PDA back to PG, maybe she won't want to chase after that Prince until she finishes college."

Michonne watched both father and son blush, it was priceless, it brought her back to a place in time where Rick was preaching his wisdom of the bird and bees to his teenage son. These were priceless Grimes moments, but on this day, however, the student had surpassed his teacher.

 ** _A/N: there'll be one more chapter before the main story_... please leave a note below. Thanks**.


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Family**_

 _ **A/N** My sincere thank you to those of you who took the time review, favourite and follow this story, I truly appreciate it. In the last chapter, Mia tried to enlist her big brother's help to achieve her goals. We also got snippets of what life has been like for the Grimes over the past six years. Mia spilled a lot of tea without meaning to do so. In this final chapter, we also see Rick and Michonne in a domestic setting with their family, as they try to get back on the same page and into a routine. _

* * *

**_Two days later..._**

Rick tucked the twins in after reading to them for a while, next he checked in on his Princess then returned to their room.

Stepping out of the shower, he towelled himself dry, pulled on a pair of boxers, and walked the short distance to their bed slipping in next to his beautiful wife. His big spoon encompassing her little one, his head laying in the crook of her neck inhaling the floral scent of her shampoo. It wasn't long before his arousal started to show, whenever her body was next to his, it was almost impossible for his not to react as nature intended it to.

"What are you doing, babe?"

"What?" he asked surprised by her question, "I'm taking advantage of the fact that we're away from prying eyes since I'm now relegated to showing my appreciation for my beautiful wife in the confines of our bedroom."

"Go to sleep, babe. I'm exhausted."

"What do you mean by that? Can't I expect a little love after the shitty day I've had?"

Michonne chuckled at her husband for playing the victim card.

"Don't, it's really not a good look on you. Rick Grimes, the victim, that's laughable."

"I don't know babe, if it weren't for the twins lately, I'd say, the love it's pretty bleak around here. First, I'm abandoned by my daughter, then my son and now my own wife? Whatever happened to our pact about being on the same page?"

"We are on the same page, your wife just happens to be exhausted, your fault too, I might add. I've had a long day and I didn't sleep well last night, but I'll make it up to you in the morning."

"Oh yeah? I'm sorry about your day… I'm back now so you'll sleep better."

"Yeah… I know… now go to sleep." she said and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

However, before Rick could reply in kind, there was a scream from down the hall.

"Mommy, come quick! It's Alex, he's bleeding again."

Rick jumped out of bed followed by his wife, "What does he mean, again? What's going on with Alex?"

"I'm sorry, there's a lot you need to catch up on. It's new… he sometimes gets nosebleeds, but he'll be fine… it's the reason for the small humidifier in his room."

"But he's not in his room, he wanted to sleep in Andre's room."

Michonne rushed pass her husband down the hallway and into the boy's room.

Rushing to his son's side, Rick called out, "What can I do?"

"Prop him up and tilt his head back," she said as she went pass Rick into the boy's bathroom, grabbing a couple of washcloths from the linen rack, opening the tap and soaking the washcloths in cold water.

Rick did as he was instructed, taking his son into his arms he tilted his head back, and waited for his wife to return.

Michonne returned to the room, sat on the edge of the bed facing them and applied a cold compress to Alex's forehead then she used the other to wipe the blood away from his face and hands.

Alex fretted, he didn't like the sight of blood on any given day, and less so when it was gushing from him. However, only his mommy knew his secret.

"Shhhhh baby shhhhh, you'll be fine, mommy won't let anything happen to you. Daddy's gonna hold you while I get you some clean pyjamas, okay baby?"

"Okay," he said in an almost imperceptible whisper because he knew his mommy would make it all better.

"How long has this been going on? Asked a very concerned Rick at his wife's retreating figure, as she returned to the bathroom to clean her hands before returning to the room.

"A few months. I had them as a child, but they eventually went away."

"What does the doctor say?"

"For now, this is only the fourth occurrence, we've been trying the humidifier in his room and moistening his nostrils with a little vaseline twice a day. If the frequency increases the doctor will revisit the treatment."

"What can I do?"

"Just keep him calm while I grab some clean clothes for him," she replied leaving the room once again.

Alex moved uneasily and his eyes followed his mother, "You hear that son, mommy says you'll be fine and you will be. Just a few more minutes and we'll have you all cleaned up." He said as he rubbed his sons' tiny forearms to comfort him.

Moments later, Michonne returned bringing with her Alex's clean pyjamas, bedding and a small device. After setting the clothes and bedding on the edge of the bed, she then sat the device on top of the dresser, plugged it into the electrical outlet, and turned it on. There was a soft hiss as the device came to life then the white noise filled the room as the vapours began to diffuse into the air.

Rick watched silently as his wife went about the room taking charge of the situation, her motions had a calming effect on him, as well as, the boys too. Within minutes Alex was wearing his new pjs, and the bedding had been stripped and replaced. Then he noticed Andre was missing and the water was running, shortly after, their eldest twin came from the bathroom with another cold compress to replace the other which was no longer cold by then and the bleeding had stopped.

The father looked at his sons with fascination, it was as though he travelled back in time watching younger versions of Michonne and himself; no words had been exchanged between mother and son just a look, but Andre knew exactly what he had to do. Alex, who was resting in his arms seemed to be in on it too, from the moment his mother walked back into the room he became calm.

Rick had been looking for a sign that the decision he recently took was the right one. It was one he had yet to discuss with his wife, but he now knew it was. She was the glue, which held them all together, not just his immediate family, but their larger circle of friends, their extended family too. She shouldered so much, she made it look so easy and never once complained. He was confident that his decision was the right one, but he didn't want her to be disappointed in him.

After the crisis and the cleanup were done, both parents sat silently with their children for a little while until the boys finally fell asleep.

The next morning, Rick kissed his tired wife's cheek and allowed her to sleep in whilst he got up, got the kids dressed, fed, and ready for school then left them with their nanny before leaving for work. It was something they always tried to do… spending as much time with the children first thing before leaving for work because one could never predict the future. In the past, they both had experiences which left them wishing they took that extra five minutes with one another or their children; as such, they made it a point of taking time in the morning before starting their busy day.

* * *

Michonne parked her carrying case in the corner of her office, her briefcase sat on the floor next to her desk, she had to step out to grab lunch before her next appointment.

Sophia offered to grab her something to eat, but she couldn't decide what she really wanted, as a result, a quick trip to the mezzanine level was necessary. She retrieved her cell from her handbag and turned on the volume then turned to leave her office.

To her surprise, her husband walked into her office and closed the door behind him and the blinds too.

"Hey!" He said as he walked towards her and offered her the paper bag he was carrying in his hand.

The aromas were out of this world, she was hungry before, but the aromas made her stomach growl. She wasn't even shy about it, he knew her appetite, peeking into the bag, she noticed the container with the lasagna, a small salad and the bag with the garlic bread. She smiled, closed her eyes, and inhaled the aromas deeply.

"Hey yourself, this is a surprise… thank you!"

"I was in the neighbourhood and just wanted to surprise you." He offered as he stared at his wife with lust in his eyes and bit his bottom lip.

She saw his reaction, as a result, she inhaled deeply and chose to ignore the involuntary clenching of her lower lips.

She smiled at him, "Babe, you were in court this morning, this…" She held the bag up, "is from the other side of the town. Plus, they forgot to add my dessert."

He smiled, "I might know a guy."

"Really?" She asked not actually believing that his motives were entirely pure given the way he initially looked at her, plus, the fact that her blinds were now closed. He had come to collect on a promise and they both knew it.

Closing the distance between them and he took her hand in his, "About last night, I'm really sorry…. I know it hasn't been easy for you with me not being here, but you've never blamed me for any of it… I just want to let you know that I appreciate it… everythang you've done, so I brought you your favourite lunch."

"Thank you! Sweetheart, I can't blame you because I encouraged you to go in the first place. It wasn't fair that you never got to experience what you worked so hard to accomplish; plus, you went through hell at boot camp, don't you remember? I got to experience all we planned as kids, but you didn't. Yes, we've had to adapt along the way but I never wanted you to have the what-ifs later… It has been tough, we've had rough patches no different from other marriages, but we survived..."

Rick knew his wife was a Saint, her selflessness was one of the many reasons why he loved her so much. He recalls all the grief Lori gave them at the onset of their relationship. At first, Michonne took it in stride, but then she set Lori straight, telling her it wasn't her intent to replace her as Carl's mother, however, they had to put the child before its mother's pettiness because whether Lori liked it or not, she would be Carl's caregiver whenever he'd be absent due to work. Lori didn't like it, but it was their reality because Michonne was his fiancé, it was a rough two years until Carl left for college. He half suspected his ex-wife was a part the reason why Carl went out of state to study. Lori didn't like Enid either, because, between her and Michonne, she saw them as the women who took her son away from her, while conveniently forgetting how she used him as a pawn his entire life.

Rick always knew Michonne was the one for him, but when she announced that she was renovating her penthouse with Carl in mind, he knew she was his everythang. She hadn't known his son long, but the two shared a special bond and like that they were a family, _Grimes two-point-zero_ as Carl would say, was well on its way. Shortly after came Mia, the twins, and now they were blessed yet again to have another little girl on the way. The news came at a time when they were in a very bad place, but nonetheless, it helped them to get to a better place.

He loved his wife for the support she provided throughout their marriage, allowing him to chase the bad guys jetting from one city to another. Sure he was making a difference and for a while, he got caught up in it too because he never experienced such a thrill fighting crime in King's County, because virtually nothing happened there, an exciting weekend graveyard shift would be the highlight of his week. At first, he felt guilty for loving the opportunity she allowed him to have because of what it meant for them. Then, they only had two kids and shortly after Carl went off to college and he felt a little less guilty. But then the cases got bigger and took him away more frequently, he couldn't find time for guilt because there was not enough time in the day for that.

When he accepted the job, they both knew he would be in the field for some time, he had to pay his dues like everyone else. He had nothing to prove now, so he was ready to sit in the office and climb the bureaucratic ladder, it wasn't a necessity because he was comfortable where he was. However, Assistant Director, Payton seemed to have other ideas in mind and an eye on his career milestones. He was the reason behind his many disappearances.

Rick would do anything for his family and right now he no longer wanted to be a cowboy. He just wanted time to enjoy the family that was growing up without him.

"I know we haven't had a chance to really talk about it, but I'm switching sections; I'm joining the BAU, but I'll work from the field office here building a small team of analysts. I won't be in the field anymore… as a result, I won't miss as much as I have before. Plus, with the new baby coming... I want to be here more. I don't want any added stress for you, not like before…. I'll still be required to visit Langley, but those visits will be planned… no more disappearing like I did before."

A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm happy for you, babe, I truly am. It'll be nice having you around more often, but I never wanted you to do this for me… it had to be your decision for us… the family." Michonne said, her arms encircled his neck pulling him closer and capturing his lips.

He quickly responded by closing the distance between their bodies, as the kiss deepened, she moaned and his body pressed into hers on the glass desk, his desire was undeniable.

Michonne's sense of duty, however, quickly took over slicing through the haze which had descended upon them causing the fog in her brain to lift, she broke their kiss, pushing him away much to her husband's chagrin. Both panting equally hard. It had been a few days, and he allowed her to sleep in instead of collecting on her promise this morning. Her reaction caused Rick to stare at his wife like a man dying of thirst, after having drunk his last drop of water and left wandering in the Sahara dazed and confused for days.

Her hand on his chest rise and fall as her lungs filled with air, "Not here! I work here…."

"I don't understand…" he said breathlessly, "but we did it in your last office before you moved here. I didn't forget your dessert…" he said leaving his statement hanging there for her to grasp his meaning.

"Yes, on a Saturday, when we were packing it up because I wouldn't have to sit there again and be distracted by images of us in my office. Seriously? You didn't get me dessert on purpose? That's just mean."

"I'll make it up to you later, whatever you want."

"Really?…"

"Yes, babe… it's been days, with the kids policing our every touch, it's not easy to find alone time with my wife these days. Why don't we get their grandparents to watch them for the weekend and we go away for a couple of days..."

"Maybe after you've been home for a bit, we just finally got them out of our bed, they're just getting accustomed to you being home again."

He knew she was right, it took them over a week to break the children of the habit and to get them to finally sleep in their own beds once again. They were finally settling into a routine, but it didn't make it any easier because he missed her a great deal.

He understood what she was saying, to be honest he knew was being selfish, but it was hard being this close to her after months of being apart and still not being as close as they could be. He shook his head as though it would banish the lust which propelled him. He knew better. He adjusted his himself, then fixed his tie and buttoned his jacket as he prepared to leave her office.

Michonne understood what he was saying, she felt the same way too, their kiss started something, her panties were ruined, but her reasoning mind was stating all the arguments why she shouldn't, couldn't… finally, he moistened and bit his bottom lip as he adjusted himself, straightened his tie and that did it, the devil on her had shoulder won. She touched his chest.

"I'll meet you in the copy room, it should be safe there because it's lunchtime, but we don't have much time." She whispered conspiratorially.

"Yeah?" He asked surprised. "Okay." He replied as he snuck out of her office careful not to be seen by anyone."

* * *

Omg! You're pregnant aren't you or you're trying to be?" Andrea exclaimed as she rudely barged into Michonne's office closing the door behind her.

Meanwhile, Michonne was busy scarfing down the lunch her husband brought her. She looked up annoyed at the intrusion. Taking a napkin from the bag, she dabs the corners of her mouth.

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you going to sit there and pretend that you didn't just have sex in the copy room? I got to admit it's the perfect place… start a job and it covers the noise… well almost." She said with a knowing grin on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Andrea, if you don't mind, I have to finish eating, I have a meeting in ten minutes."

"Amateurs! That's what y'all are. If you're going to be having sex in semi-public places, there's always a risk of getting caught. I thought I was going to have to let go of a couple employees today. You're a partner Michonne and we have to be an example..."

Michonne tried to ignore her best friend and work colleague, who was killing her post-coital high. She continued to enjoy the lasagna which was delighting her taste buds or maybe it just tasted even better after having had dessert first. _Perhaps she should ask for non-fattening desserts for the next little while, it couldn't hurt because she was already pregnant anyway. Why was her friend still in her office droning on about sex in public places?_

"Andrea, seriously, if you really have nothing else to do maybe you can take a couple files off my plate." The suggestion of more work shut her friend up almost instantaneously. She knew it would too because, since the merger of Jones & Horvatt with Ross & Associates, Andrea never wanted to take on extra work, in fact, she pick and choose what cases she wanted. Her excuses were pitiful, be it Shane's new work hours to taking care of their son, Jon and their dog, T-rex. One would think she had a houseful of young kids at home, but then again Shane had a childlike mentality, so it was quite plausible her friend's hands were full.

"Fine, but just so you know, I saw your husband walking out of our copy room looking like he just planted the flag on the top of Mount Everest. He had that same look when Shane caught him after your little elevator escapade, almost eight months later y'all had twins. It's your thing you know... It was the fitting room before Mia came along."

"Seriously, Andrea, you have a wicked imagination."

"By the way, if you don't have a scarf in your wardrobe… I have a silk one in mine that should hide that mark on your neck. If you are or trying to be, please make it be a little girl, these men don't know shit about making girls and I need one to spoil because Mia is growing up way too fast." Andrea said as her hand went subconsciously to her stomach as she walked out closing the door in her wake.

Her parting remark, however, left Michonne uncertain, so her left hand crept up to the spot Andrea had indicated, it was a little sensitive there.

Michonne blushed. She hadn't known that Shane knew about the elevator and it was obviously a huge mistake to tell Andrea about the fitting room but that's what happens when the girls got together and let their hair down. She felt bad for avoiding Andrea's assertion, but she couldn't confirm something for her when they had yet to confirm it with their families. Andrea would just have to get over it.

* * *

 ** _Two weeks later…_**

Carl made it home in the middle of the night, as such, only his dad was awake to greet him. Mia tried to wait up but fell asleep in her father's arms. He carried her up to bed shortly before midnight. The boys burned way too much energy during the day, as a result, they rarely make it past their regular bedtime.

"Mornin', Daddy is he here?" Mia asked running into the kitchen. She and her siblings had promised their parents that they wouldn't go to Carl's room when they got up, the reason being, Carl was not an early riser like his younger siblings. This morning, however, he made an exception.

Rick was busy making his famous Grimes blueberry pancakes with a helper, who was on the patio preparing it for their breakfast.

Rick knew what would follow next, a piercing scream once the subject of her curiosity materialized. He bent down and gave his daughter a hug and kissed her cheek. "Mornin', Princess!"

"Hey, Mimi!" Carl said coming into full view as he entered from the patio.

"Carl, you're in charge here… I'm going to wake the boys." He smiled leaving the brother and sister duo together. As predicted, Mia's scream and giggles followed her father down the hall and up the stairs.

"Carl, I'm so happy that you're here. When do we do our sleepover?"

"I missed you too, Mimi. I'll have to arrange for Logan to come over but I'm thinking next weekend. Is that okay?"

Shaking her head, yes, "You'll call Miss Lori after pancakes?"

"Yeah, but first you'll have to help me if we're going to eat this morning."

"Okay," she said as she set out to wash the fresh berries.

 **...**

A short time later, Rick and Michonne filed into the kitchen behind the twins. "Andre and Alex, no running."

"Yes, Daddy," they cried slowing their pace as they turned the corner crashing into either side of Carl, luckily Mia was sitting on the countertop busy supervising her brother's work now that hers was done.

"Carl, you're home," they cried. The boys each did their secret handshake with their big brother causing Mia to shake her head and roll her eyes.

"I sure am little buddies," Carl said to his younger brothers.

"Are we going camping today?" Alex asked.

"No, not today, but soon."

Michonne and Rick took in the sight of their three boys, with their signature Grimes blue eyes. Andre had their father's dark brown curls and Alex had bone straight chestnut hair like his big brother a trait of the of the Turpins, the twins had their fathers lips, but they all his nose. The younger boys looked tanned standing next to their older brother. There was denying their parentage. The Turpin-Grimes gene was very strong in her boys, the three were destined to be heartbreakers.

After sharing their brotherly love, Carl walked over to his mom and gave her a bear hug. He was now taller than her, the same height as his dad. "Hi, Mom!"

The term of endearment never ceases to cause a single tear to escape, especially, after being away for an extended period of time.

"Hi, son... I'm so glad you're home." She choked up, she hated these long drives he loved so much. Michonne would much prefer him to fly home because she worried so much when he was on the road for too long.

"Me too, mom. Me too."

"How was your trip?"

"Uneventful… I'm just happy to be home." He replied by giving his mom a peck on the cheek.

Rick washed his hands and returned to his duty, twenty minutes later, the Grimes family sat down for a weekend breakfast on the patio.

* * *

 ** _A month later…_**

"Mommy, we know what we wanna do for Father's Day."

"You do... do you? Now, what do you boys have in mind, Alex?"

"We wanna go camping!"

"Camping? Really, that seems like an activity for just you boys. You know Mia won't like that."

"Mommy, does Mia have to be with us?" Andre asked. "She's so bossy… and we just wanna have fun with daddy and Carl."

Michonne who was busy making sandwiches stopped what she was doing, washed and dried her hands, and sat the boys on the countertop so they would be eye to eye when she spoke to them.

"What day is it tomorrow?"

"Father's Day," they both answered with their heads lowered sheepishly. They knew they were wrong because their mommy only questioned them like this when they were and they had to find a way to fix things.

"Ah, then that would mean Mia must be included in your plans, since you all share a daddy, right?"

"Yes, Mommy," they responded simultaneously.

"You know Carl would never approve of this idea… in fact, he wouldn't be very happy to hear of it, would he? How would daddy feel, if, on his day, one of you weren't allowed to participate, do you think daddy would have a good time?"

The twins were silent because they would never want to disappoint Carl nor their dad.

"Good. How about we pitch some tents in the backyard, that way Mia can be included and we'll have a big barbeque, your grandparents will be here too, and if you want to you can sleep in the tents overnight."

"Mommy, Mia won't like it. She doesn't like sleeping outdoors." Alex explained.

"Yeah." Andre added, "Because she's a Princess and they don't like that stuff."

Michonne tried hard not to laugh, but her boys totally called it perfectly. Mia hated outdoor living if she wasn't surrounded by beautiful flowers or something worthy of her attention like birds to watch she wasn't interested. She was truly her daughter in that regard, she preferred books, she loved horses and stick fighting, you would never catch her baiting a hook to catch fish. In fact, she thought catching fish only to release them was really cruel, she'd much prefer visiting them at the aquarium.

Mia's favourite place was the solarium which overlooked the garden, it was a quiet spot away from the noise and fully furnished and decorated with indoor plants. Incidentally, it was also Michonne's favourite place, the boys rarely ventured there. It was their mother and daughter retreat where her husband often found them cuddled up with a good book.

"True indeed, but she'll be at home not in the woods, so if she prefers to sleep indoors she can." The twins nod their heads in understanding.

 **…**

 ** _Next day…_**

"Gran, grandpa!" the children cried out as both Mary Grimes and Tobin walked through the front door.

"Hello my little darlings, Richard!" Mary greeted each grandchild and her son with hugs and kisses. "Let me look at you, Princess, your tiara is stunning and you look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, Gran," Mia replied with a curtsey to her grandmother, "Mommy says I can wear it for you today, but then daddy will have to put it away because I can only wear it on special occasions."

"Mommy's right. Princesses only wear tiaras on special occasions."

"Richard," Tobin said shaking his hand and greeting each of his grandchildren with hugs and kisses. They were his grandkids by extension of his relationship with their grandmother. Mary absolutely refused to marry him; he accepted his fate, he was much happier with her than without her in his life.

"Ma, Tobin, come on in. Y'all settled in okay... how was the drive?"

"Yes, we got in late last night… and settled in nicely. We slept in today, so there's that… it sure beats staying in a hotel."

"Good. Well, Morgan and Carol should be here soon. Michonne and Carl are in the kitchen."

"Gran, what did you bring us?" The children asked curiously, their Gran always brought gifts and their grandpa was toting a bag.

"Mia, Andre and Alex… that's not polite… what did mommy and I tell you about that?" Rick asked, referring to the matter that he and his wife were still upset at the fact, his mother went against their wishes and bought Mia a tiara. Sure it was not super extravagant, but at the same time, it wasn't something she bought at the Dollar Tree either, to appease the situation she also bought the boys Power Wheels.

"We shouldn't ask gran and grandpa for things," they replied.

"Exactly, now off you go… mommy's in the kitchen."

"Richard don't be too rough on them, sweetheart. That's what grandparents do, we spoil them. Happy Father's Day!"

Before Rick could reply, the doorbell rang and momentarily distracts Rick's attention. He opens the door to find his father-in-law, Morgan and his fiancée Carol Pelletier. "Hey Morgan, Carol. Come on in everyone's in the kitchen, we might as well join them."

"Happy Father's day son."

"Thank you. Happy Father's day to you too."

Mary and Tobin exchanged greetings with Morgan and Carol then followed Rick down the long hallway and into the open spaced kitchen.

"Mommy, look they're all here… can we do it now?" Mia asked getting up from her seat to greet gramps and her gran.

"Soon, sweetie." Michonne turned to greet her mother-in-law and Tobin. "Hi, Ma; Tobin… I trust everything is to your satisfaction in the cottage." She said as she hugged them.

"Yes, thank you Michonne, we can't complain," Tobin replied.

Hi Daddy, Happy Father's Day! She said as she hugged her father. "Carol nice to see you again."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"Hi, Michonne, it's great to be home, I get to see all of our grandbabies."

"That's true."

During the greetings, Rick couldn't help but notice a change between his mother and his wife. They were both upset as his mom, but this was something else completely. This was the first time she was visiting in the six weeks since he returned home. In the past, there was a time when his mom was ride or die Michonne, which caused some friction between him and his mom because of the way she manipulated the press during his divorce. This chill, however, was something neither mentioned to him. He had been away too damn long if this happened; he wondered what it was all about and made a mental note to find out.

 **…**

"Here, Daddy," Mia passed her gift to her father.

"Thanks, Princess," he said and kissed her cheek. He opened the envelope and retrieved the blue heart shaped card, which simply read, _I Love you, Daddy_. He unwrapped his gift to find a glass pen and pencil holder decorated with colourful hearts.

"Do you like it, Daddy?"

"Of course I do, thank you. It's beautiful, Princess, I'll use it in my office."

"Here's ours... Daddy." Andre and Alex passed their father a card and decorative bag stuffed with tissue paper. Rick read his card which said _Hooked on Daddy._ The drawing featured a fishing pole with the line in the water and a fish at the end of it. However, as Rick placed his hand into the bag, Michonne said, please don't open it at the table. He grabbed a hold of something hard and pulled it out, it was a small cooler in it a can which read _live bait_.

"Ugh," says Mia. Her reaction caused the people around the table to laugh.

"Do you like it. Daddy?" Andre and Alex asked eagerly awaiting their father's response.

Rick smiled, "Of course I do… we'll have to make a boy's trip." He added tussling the hair on the twins head, to which the twins made faces and stuck their tongues out at their sister.

Carl's gift to his father was a gift certificate for dinner for two at a fancy restaurant. Their grandfathers got a certificate for a round of golf.

After the gift exchange, Rick cleared his throat to get their attention, with all eyes on him, he spoke, "Erm… Michonne and I have some news… we're going to have an addition to the family," Rick said with a proud smile on his face as he draped his arm around his beautiful wife.

"What does that mean, Daddy?" Mia asked.

There was that look again, his mother was looking at his wife rather suspiciously. Michonne seemed oblivious to it all because she was busy adjusting the tiara in Mia's hair.

"Congratulations," were offered from Morgan, Carol, Carl and Tobin."

"Well, It means that you and your brothers are going to have a baby sister."

Mia squealed, scrambled down from her seat and ran to her father. Rick anticipated this very move. He pushed his chair from the table, caught his daughter in his arms and sat her on his lap. Her tiny arms flung around his neck and she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Daddy." She turned her head towards her mother adding, "Thank you, Mommy… I promise I'll be a good big sister."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," her parents answered each planting a kiss on the side of her face.

Her younger brothers, however, didn't seem to be overly happy about the news, "Daddy, why do we have to get another Mia? Why can't we have another boy?"

Michonne covered her mouth trying to hide her smile, but her shoulders shook as she watched her husband attempt to field the boys' question.

"Congratulations, Michonne, how far along did you say you were?"

"Is there something you want to say, Ma?" Rick asked not appreciating his mother's tone.

"No dear… not at all."

Michonne didn't like the accusation in her mother-in-law's voice, but it wasn't the time nor the place for such a conversation.

 **...**

Later that evening, the backyard glowed with fairy lights, the tents which were installed earlier that day were prepped and ready for their sleep out.

Carl was on smores duty with his little helpers.

The couple sat next to one another on the swing, Rick's arm draped lazily over Michonne's shoulder as they watched their children amuse themselves around the fire pit.

"Happy Father's Day, baby!"

"Thank you," he said placing his hand on her stomach.

 **THE END!**


End file.
